Deputy CM Ajit Pawar visited flood affected areas of Sinhagad Road.

By Sunita 

Pune: The Met office has warned of continued excessive rainfall in and around Pune city. Therefore, the current flood situation is likely to worsen, officials said.

A discharge of 40,000 cusecs from the Khadakwasla dam caused inundation of many low-lying areas along the Mutha river in the Sinhagad road area, Deccan Gymkhana and some areas downstream. Rescue operations were launched in housing societies and slum areas.

Officials said if the discharge continued for some more hours, the situations could worsen. Therefore, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) requested the Irrigation Department to lessen the discharge from the Khadakwasla dam. However, the State Department refused the PMC request. On the contrary, they said that the discharge could be increased. This could lead to a serious scenario in Pune.

In the backdrop of the IMD warning of a heavy rainfall early on Thursday, District Collector Suhas Diwase directed to close all schools in Pune, Bhor, Vehle, Maval, Mulshi and in the Khadakwasla area in Haveli taluka. All offices in Pune were given a holiday. Normal life has been thrown out of gear following excessive rains. Incidents of tree collapse were reported from across the city. Many societies in the city reported inundation.

Officials and jawans of the fire brigade were shifting residents from the affected area to safer places. A big tree collapsed at Gul Ali near Vateshwar Bhuvan in Bhavani Peth blocking the road while some vehicles were trapped under the tree. The fire brigade rushed to the spot to clear the collapsed tree and remove trapped vehicles.

DyCM Ajit Pawar, CM Eknath Shinde monitoring the situation

Earlier on Thursday, DyCM and Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar reviewed the flood situation. Pawar instructed the district administration and Disaster Management Department to deploy teams for relief and rescue operations. 

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sought help from the NDRF and the Indian Army to help citizens trapped in their homes. He directed the district administration to be on their toes as more discharge could be released from the Khadakwasla dam.

Shinde said, “I discussed the situation with the District Collector, Municipal Commissioner, NDRF and other officials on the phone. NDRF has deployed its boats. Help is being extended quickly and people need not panic. I have told the administration to remain alert as the discharge from the Khadakwasla dam will be increased further. I spoke to DyCM Ajit Pawar who was present in the control room in Mumbai.”